Lord Lucan

Well done Edinburgh, thoroughly deserving Champions, did it in the League proper and now just emphasised their superiority in this, top side!! Tough on Glasgow losing their top man, would certainly have made a better fist of it if Summers had been there but hey, that's life, still done well this year so cant complain too much, got to have good vibes for next year after this!!

Thank You my friend, at least that,s some relevant insight into the question?

Fine, maybe the wrong choice of word there but as we're now bordering on abuse we'll call it a day!! Erm, if this was aimed at me coalman then, I Thank You, nice to know I have found common ground with you!! If it wasn't then I apologize and will promise to regain normal service as soon as!!

But do they tho, where is the physical proof that this happens, your just speculating that this is the case as none of the relevant details with regards to actual attendances for play off matches v regular league fixtures are ever made available for scrutiny? You may enjoy your play offs for whatever reasons you choose that's your prerogative, I however object to them on the moral grounds that the league fixtures have decided who is Champions not some six match programme at the end of it, and thats mine?

Good to see Kenny Hansen getting the hang of Armadale, hope it continues into next year and we get to trouble 40pts!!

Your argument is a contradiction, if, as you suggest, Edinburgh are succesfully losing money by being Champions then why would they want to play anymore matches and continue the theme? If those play offs "were" actually providing enough revenue from increased gates etc to offset the the season's losses then where are those supporters during the said season and why dont they show up on a weekly basis to help, what is, a very successful club on the track? Financially, I would more like to find out what the crowd levels are for these matches in relation to the standard fare rather than how much the Edinburgh promotion rely on them, that's a more accurate gauge of a competitions worthiness? Personally, I can hardly see three matches in a bleak October doing anything for the previous 20 or so during the summer, if they cant attract them then?? And what's wrong with that? Of course if the rule is there you just get on with it, in "my opinion" it shouldn't be, that's all I'm saying?

Because it's human nature to think that, would you be happy proving you weren't a fluke before you got your Gold Medal? Over the course of the entire season Edinburgh have easily been the best side, their position proves that 1st, why should any club have to go out and prove themselves all over again just to satisfy the 11 losing clubs, and their supporters, that they were worthy winners? These play offs only serve to give five of those "losing teams" an undeserved second chance of glory they weren't good enough to take first time round, where is the justification in giving them that opportunity?

Quite right, better not aim too high, that way we'll never be disappointed?

Yes there are, you can put off Christmas shopping til the end of October? What, only "seems" unfair? Reluctantly agree with that last bit tho, and it's probably the fact that you can race all season and finish top of the pile and dont get the Championship you've earned that many riders do decide to go elsewhere rather than stay and start again to finish the job you'd thought you already had?

Great idea, we might win something at last!!

No, not in this case? By the time Edinburgh have finished thrashing Berwick on Friday night, they will be about 18pts clear of Plymouth, how can Plymouth, under any circumstance be considered as Champions, it just proves what a nonsense these play offs are? Edinburgh, most points, top of the League, Champions, end of, it has to be, it's the only way to rid the sport of this yearly occurrence of riders going missing and teams not prepared to race when dates are quite clearly available? All these dates are arranged pre season for the play offs to start, everyone knows that so why do promoter's have such a problem with it when they get to this point, the season for six teams is "not" over, somebody has to be there so "everybody" should budget for it?

That's what Edinburgh do to you, a very solid and incredibly difficult side to shake off, we managed 8pts for most of last night, squeezed them to 10 by ht 14 and then lost a heat advantage in the last to bring it back to 8 again? A very good side that can score from anywhere when you least expect it that's what makes them so successful but, it's your track tonight and I dont see you rolling over so, best of luck with that, you just might need it?

Absolutely MD, agree with that but "two" definite Ht leaders required for next year? Wethers would be a solid acquisition at reserve to go with right from the start and experienced enough to cover at 2/4 if needed, may be tempted to give Williamson a longer run also as the experience of this year would stand him in good stead, he's a far better rider than the last few meetings have shown and could be a nice option? Noticed that neither Rene or Kyle were asked about plans for next year, something in that, who knows, feelers out for a certain "other" rider from last night, gonna be a bit interesting over the next few weeks/months?

Well, not as good as last week but still a compelling match nonetheless!! Excellent choice of guest in Stichauer, battled well for everything he got and deserved top spot, very good efforts from Ricky/Rene and Kenneth but a bit disappointing from Kyle and Matt, bad season all round for one and too many visits to the floor for the other has done for them and it showed tonight? Still, all points were needed again and a 100% home record achieved as a result so more than happy with that, at least we've got that to be proud of!! Couple of good signings for next season I'd say with Ricky and Kenneth, two pretty solid performers and a good starting point to build on, whom else we get now is open to debate over this sadly extended close season but it will be interesting to see what develops over the coming months, look forward to that usual rider go round starting up again? By the way, almost imperious performance from Cookie tonight, if he'd just waited for the tapes to go up in Ht1, 15pt max without question, we had nothing to touch him, hmmm, think 10pt average is a bit rich for us, shame tho!!

Great result for Ricky, shame I didn't take my own advice and back him each way, been on fire this season and was well worth a punt?

Not just move this meeting til earlier in the season then, would that not help, seem to remember the EL did that to avoid having so many top men missing the meeting to ride abroad, dont follow that league so whether it worked or not has passed me by? Seems to be happening on a regular basis thesedays with the multi contract riders, cant be everywhere, business end of the season get's very busy for some riders?

Haven't seen many matches this year but really pleased that I saw this one, cracking meeting I thought and well worth the admission money!! As I said previous, nothing but the unbeaten home record to defend and the team did that tremendously well, every point counted tonight and despite some below par efforts it all came together and got the job done when I honestly thought that the way Glasgow's ht leaders were going and Stichauer piling pts at reserve they were going to take the win especially being in front one race down? Lawson and Ht15, they just dont mix do they, once he dropped to third and was looking for Hansen you just knew, you just knew he would drop it under pressure, Hansen ridng as well as he's done all season at home just kept picking away and waited for the mistake, great race tho, we needed 4-2 and we got 4-2, great match, great result, very entertaining meeting. Full marks to Glasgow tho, once they got dialled in they were very worthy opposition and fully deserved the point they got, played an excellent part in this but in all honesty if Summers had been in that last Ht I cant help but think they would have got the 3 and not us, was absolutely flying? still, never mind, at least your season will run longer than our's and with that team you've got to win something, be very unfair if you dont, a good quality side!! As for us well, one more big effort required v Edinburgh next week and hopefully bring a winning end to the season and a full house, I'll be there as well, goodness me two matches in a row, I can hardly contain myself??

No matter whom we get at reserve for Matty this has just got a lot tougher? As long as Kenny Hansen is ready to rumble I'd still like to think that we'd be good enough to sneak a 46-44, at this time of the season, and nothing left to play for, I'm hoping that the preservation of the home record will provide good motivation for the lads, cant bomb it now!!!!

So am I, in my position of "spectator replacement"!!

And it all started so positively too...... about a week after last season had finished when we thought that this season couldn't be any worse?

Gutted.... all season we've waited, we get to the final away fixture and then go and spoil our perfect record by getting a draw, should be thoroughly ashamed of ourselves, what were we thinking??

Well, in a roundabout way to part of my own post I'll take that comment as a "NO" it wasn't a good crowd last night, promotion dipping into their pockets a little deeper this week, shame, that's really not what it's all about, cant keep self funding like this long term definitely no future in that? Think the word your looking for Scarra is "hypocrisy", as you say, many years while the RL club were on the bones of it's arse it took every penny and more that it could to stay alive out of the speedway yet what's happened in return for all that investment, a new bog and lots of cordoned off areas, wow, thank's for that? Always had the idea that the ground was a shared unit for the benefit of both clubs and the town in general, must have got lost in translation then?

That looked a lot more comfortable than I gave it credit for!! Just shows how poor both sides are away from home, after Saturday I was expecting better things from Berwick tho I suppose, judging by the updates site, they would have preferred Barker again to Tungate who didn't do much business for them at No1 but then again, not many others did either? Money fest for the Comets again, some chunky looking returns on that board hope the crowd was good to help pay for it all!! Hope we can finish the season off in good style and it might even be possible that I could even see one of the remaining matches, (Glasgow) or maybe both, depending on when they finally decide to play Edinburgh? Would like to see both matches tho, it's been a poor viewing season for me so a couple for the winter will do nicely!!

Could be a busy night again for Wethers, but as we're at home and we always do better here than anywhere else, I'll be confident of a similarly comfortable home win tonight, stick around 51-39!!

Just shows the value of a couple of good spares and a new signing when your down in the dumps, just improved Berwick no end, and in the end, were comfortable enough winners!! No guts in this Comets team on the road, Wells/Wethers apart, the remainder just going through the motions, really should have got something from this match but when your Ht leaders dont turn up your never going to have that happen? Only just missed out on a point I agree but we did miss out, again, and that long shadow being cast of a season of duck eggs away from home is growing ever longer, Redcar next week, our last chance to salvage something from the wreckage, hope they dont have any good spares waiting in the wings?